Byōyomi
by JeffC FTW
Summary: A thirteen-year-old boy escapes from what Detectives Minato Namikaze, Kakashi Hatake and their unit discover is a serial rapist and killer. When the predator snatches another child, the team intensively goes on the hunt. Based off a "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" episode, not for minors or sensitive readers.
1. Chapter 1

**Warning: based off and named after an episode of "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit", this is NOT for anyone who suffered rape, knew someone who'd been through that, etc. - or even is easily triggered by these things. I'm not condoning what happens in here, nor do I get off on this (as many others are accused of), but this idea came to light after waking up from a brief image that was inspired by the show's fifteenth episode of its second season.**

**This story is totally different from my usual. I've written tales with rape in them, though when it came to main characters as minors in their mentioned pasts, it's often left to the imagination. :( I'm always sad because they go through that, and the fact is it happens to anyone in real life. **

**I said this involves rapes of pre-teens, so if you won't be able to handle this, then please leave now. If you choose to stay and proceed...**

**Disclaimer: Naruto and Law and Order: SVU belong to their respectable owners. **

Chapter One

He was just going to have a nice evening alone with his sweet wife before he got the unexpected call.

She had worked so hard to have all of this ready for them both, while Naruto spent the night at his friend Gaara's house. They were parents, had steady jobs - he was a decorated detective in the police force, she worked in catering - but had to try to make time for each other as often as they could. Tonight was one of them, and tired as he was, this was a great surprise.

She got dressed up for him, too, in that green dress she'd had since their very first date in college: one-shouldered, pleated and gracing her beauty. And nothing said love except the fiery blue hearts ringed with white, in her ears and around her neck - reminiscent of the blue diamond from _Titanic. _And of course she smelled sweetly of papaya fruits, water lilies and musk. Even now, she was every inch the one he fell in love with after reaching adulthood.

He married Kushina when he had been promoted to detective; next year, he would become sergeant along with a couple of his friends. Proposed with the ring that had belonged to his mother: perfect opals and heavenly sapphires in a pattern. That was one thing they had in common, which was losing parents and being raised by someone else as close to a parental figure as they could be. He'd been taken in by Jiraiya who taught him how to be an officer of the law and loved him like his own son - then dying before his pupil could be promoted to senior police officer - whereas Kushina had been raised by an aunt on her mother's side. Long before college, they were friends in childhood, but she'd been more difficult to deal with due to her temperament which earned her the nickname of "Red Hot Habanero" besides the bullies' dub "Tomato".

He'd been scared to approach her at first as a result, but then he saw her level down two jerks with both her fists and a tree branch one day while the spring blossoms were in season.

Final time, he was there for her and defended her honor, and that was when their friendship blossomed.

Years later, at their wedding, his buddies who were now on the same special unit with him in the force had attended, as well as the birth of their son, Naruto.

Fourteen years of happiness and frustration in one, evening it all out. Sometimes, his job got him away from his wife and son, but eventually Kushina understood, though Naruto could take a little at a time. On the

positive side, he wanted to be a cop one day, just like his dad.

Now, his loving wife made this great dinner of crab, brown rice, miso, and the best sake they saved for special occasions. When Naruto was around, it was always ramen he loved out of everything else, which he sometimes got scolded for more by his mother than his father. It was just the two of them - until Minato's phone went off. Kakashi called him and told him that they were needed at the hospital, where a young boy of Naruto's age had been taken in. His blood ran cold at the thoughts, and when he told Kushina briefly, she chewed her bottom lip and nodded her understanding, promising she would save dinner for when he got back home even if it were late. He kissed her goodbye and left the house in the suburbs for the medical center in the bigger part of town, his mind straight and pushing all questions aside until he got there.

In this system, sexual-based offenses were considered especially heinous, and he and his colleagues were dedicated to picking up the ones responsible for these vicious felonies.

The case: a young teenager had been kidnapped, held in a white unmarked van, and in a slow ride through a construction site, he escaped out through the back and into the opened road. A couple behind the van saw him and stopped their drive; construction workers had come to the aid, too, and one of them called the police when the boy was too shaken to tell them everything, except that he had wanted to go home to his family, only to be held against his will.

"Name is Sasuke Uchiha, thirteen years old," Rasa Sabaku explained to them as he led them down the corridor of the first floor, which included examination first. The man was Gaara's father as well as superintendent of the police station beneath the elite Konoha Special Victims Unit. "Guy cuffed him to this bar inside this van, but he managed to wriggle out his hand to escape."

"When did he go missing?" Minato asked, hands in the pockets of his dark coat.

"Three days ago. We worked on it as a disappearance with a bad crowd; mother was convinced, ever since his father died a year ago. She thinks it's adolescent rebellion, but none of his friends have seen him since he vanished."

Which could mean one thing. "So, it was a complete stranger," Kakashi stated, lifting his nose, and that made Rasa frown at him.

"Oh, Hatake, I see what you're thinking. We screwed up." He calmed down and nodded when the silver-haired man answered for the both of them that they were not thinking anything. "Well, mother and elder brother are both in the waiting room. Dr. Kato is doing the rape kit now."

They were outside the door as they spoke, and there was the doctor himself, long bluish hair tied back, and he smiled slightly in greeting before returning it back to the patient himself, softly telling Sasuke he was going to use a cotton swab now just on the legs. Mutely, the boy nodded, and when he saw the two men walk past him, he stiffened while still laying down. Looking at him briefly, Minato was certain that if the suspicions WERE true, then the disgusting man was going to get his for doing this to such an attractive and innocent child. _No doubt change his life for the worst. _

He and Kakashi were at the end of the table when Kato picked up the camera to take needed pictures - and that was when they pieced together fluids on the inner thighs, which brought them closer to the loathsome realization. The rest in there, between legs spread and bent at the knees while still covered by the sheet, was too dark to even glimpse without seeming like a perv. He didn't even seem like a bad boy or emo kind, either.

Minato knew how to be nice and make someone relax, but somehow, he didn't feel like he could manage without feeling like vomiting. Kakashi had a stronger stomach than him, so he sat down beside the young teenager who regarded him warily. Asked him how he was doing, to which a soft voice responded back simply with "okay". _Doubtful. _

Dan pulled him aside then and there, whispering in a hushed voice to tell him what he'd found, and it made Minato grit his teeth to the point of shattering to parts. His throat bobbed with each aching swallow.

"Two tears in the posterior, the entire rectum swollen and red. And..." Dan swallowed as it had him releasing his edge after what he had discovered, despite dealing with this in his area. "...every strand of pubic hair cleanly shaven."

The ugly word was forced out of the seasoned detective's lips. He could feel Kakashi's eyes drilling burning holes in the backs of his shoulders.

"He raped him."

~o~

The group in the squad consisted of himself - self-confident, admittedly, and aware that he was sometimes arrogant which lessened as he got experienced, even having good intuitions and followed the rules at all costs, sometimes bending them when it called for it - as well as Minato who was respectful and kind, level-headed and only stuck his nose into others' business when it was necessary.

Also, Asuma Sarutobi who was laidback but blunt, didn't get involved unless he HAD to, and not only that, but he was a hell of a chain smoker and ceased the habit when it came to something extremely serious. When it came to suspects and convicts, he would use the best manipulation there was to trick them into doing what was needed.

Which left Might Gai, the nice guy of the rest of them: thumbs up, winning smile and a wink all in one. Always optimistic, fired up, but when confronting a suspect, he would enter calm beast mode, hence the group called him the "green beast". All four were celebrated detectives and worked as a team, but as life went, they had their good times and bad alike.

And little did they know, this new case was going to have nerves frayed to the limits.

They had a stranger-child abduction with a confirmed rape. The victim's name was Sasuke Uchiha, and he was thirteen years old, having turned last summer. He was grabbed four days ago, escaped only last night. Asuma brought up the toxicology report, reading aloud that the young teen was positive with tranquilizers - and of course, sake - confirming that he hadn't done this to himself, but that wouldn't be the end of it. _It was said that he was getting pretty rebellious lately, but we still need his side of the story regardless. _Which would be difficult, since his mother was very insistent that they give her youngest son a couple days to heal a little before talking to him.

"Where else are we now?" their captain, Tsunade Senju, asked as she sat on the edge of her desk, jaw tight with anger and disgust.

"We just know so far that the guy owns a white van - no maintenance, no model," Kakashi told her irritably. This was one of those times he hated the most, when there was very little to go on.

"Two witnesses behind the van," Asuma grumbled, wishing he had a cigarette, but it was against regulations to smoke on the job and in the office. "They sat behind it for twenty minutes but couldn't give one damned number on the plate, not even when it screeched away after the kid got out."

Tsunade shook her head, breaths heaving along with her well-endowed chest before giving out the instructions: send out the warning to other families to keep their children off the streets, keep them in tight groups or with an adult they knew well at all times. Then run a vehicle list for white van owners - and for him and Minato to get right on interviewing the victim who was still in the hospital.

Minato cleared his throat. "Tsunade, the mother thinks he's too traumatized to do it today," he said with a single shrug.

"Well, you both tell Mrs. Uchiha that we don't mean to be insensitive, but if we are going to catch this creep, every second counts."

Now he and Minato were at the advocate center for children next to the hospital. Joining them was Asuma's wife, Kurenai, who was a respected attorney of law and was here to listen to Sasuke Uchiha's testimony, even if this wasn't an interrogation in the police department. She was currently in the viewing room with Kakashi as well as Mikoto Uchiha - mother of the victim - and Itachi, the elder brother.

When he and Minato laid their eyes on the pair as they walked in with the solemn, silent teen in between them, Kakashi was amazed at what a stunning family that was. The Uchiha were a respected, working-class family, but when you placed your gaze on the faraway but noticeable sparkle of that big rock around the woman's wedding finger, you would know a fortune must have been amassed into that despite their living. Coupled with the casual checkered black-and-white sweater which hugged her body in the right places. And it cut him to his core to see the worry for her child.

Her eldest, Itachi, could easily be mistaken as a woman if you were to see him for the first time from behind. His long hair was in a ponytail behind his neck, and those lines beneath his eyes did live up to his name. He was sharp in a white collared shirt and dark jeans; he was recently accepted into the town community college with the aim for a degree in computer sciences. His eyes and lips, though, spoke volumes of fierce protection and hatred for whoever did this to his little brother he was supposed to protect.

It was difficult to separate mother from her youngest son, and while the eldest was adamant himself, he had to insist that they let Sasuke tell what he could for now and then give him some time before he could share more. Weary and worried, Mikoto Uchiha had no choice but to agree, so she and Itachi were with Kakashi and Kurenai now in the viewing room, watching the footage as Minato launched into the gentle questioning, since a fatherly touch could be used better and help Sasuke take his time.

Apparently, the boy still didn't like being in the company of an adult man, after what he'd gone through.

_"Sasuke - that's a really nice name. Speaks of a great warrior." _Kakashi couldn't agree more, and admired how his friend and partner was handling the guarded youth who lowered the shield only to nod his head in agreement. _"Now, you know why you're here?" _

_"Yeah, because of the man." _Now the kid was annoyed because it was a stupid question. Was he like that in his day to day life? But Minato wasn't fazed and just continued asking questions.

_"That's right. I'm gonna ask some questions about him, if that's okay." _Sasuke nodded his consent. _"The man's skin - you remember what color it was?"_

_"...ashen. Almost white, like a ghost."_

So, someone who was pale as a ghost - there were people who had that complexion, but small numbers unless you didn't go into the sun a lot. _"What about his hair?" _Minato pressed.

Sasuke shrugged, looking down at the table surface between them. _"I think...I can't remember. But he had these gross teeth. They looked like a demon's fangs or something that Sensei talked about in school."_ And another detail to maybe narrow the lists of perhaps known, dentally-challenged pedophiles in the law's system. Minato's back faced the camera, so you couldn't see his face.

_"So, tell me: how did you meet this man?"_

The boy's face had been very tight, but now it was crumbling piece by piece. Behind Kakashi, Mrs. Uchiha audibly sucked in a breath as she braced herself. From the corner of his eye, he saw her take Itachi's hand and hold it tight. Kurenai narrowed her eyes.

_"My mom always says to go straight home, and wait for Itachi to come get me. But my brother was late, I think because of the job he is also working besides school. I decided to go on ahead since home wasn't very far, but - I saw a cat sitting in an alley, and I stopped for a minute to hold it and pet it. I thought about taking it home if Mom would say yes, but..." _He stopped there. _"The man was there, but I swear I didn't want to get in his van!" _

He was sniffling and audibly grunting as if trying to hold back his tears, maybe hating himself for being so unmanly, but Minato didn't mind at all. _"We know that, Sasuke. It's okay. We know that_," he assured him, but it didn't get through to Sasuke, who said he didn't want to talk about it anymore and bowed his head on the table, wrapping his arms around to cover his face, ashamed and embarrassed.

This broke his mother. "Did you hear him? Stop it!" Mikoto cried, going over to the screen, but Kakashi stopped her with his hand on her shoulder. He had no children - he was Naruto's godfather, so the feeling was close enough - but he understood how she was faring. "It's too much for him!"

"Mrs. Uchiha," Kurenai said softly, being a somewhat mother to Konohamaru, who was Asuma's nephew and had lost his parents, "I know it's painful, but it's going to take some time."

"How long do you plan to put my brother through this?" Itachi calmly demanded, no longer biting his tongue. His mother glared at him into staying quiet.

"We don't want to rush him," Kakashi told her reassuringly.

"Then let me bring him back in a couple days like we said, when he's more up to it." Mikoto put a hand over her mouth and turned into Kurenai who quietly spoke comforting words. Kakashi tuned it out to lean towards the microphone, pressing the button to speak to Minato, since it was clear they didn't have much time left because the victim's mother was getting more distressed each minute.

~o~

_"Minato, we're in a bit of a time crunch here. We need that location NOW."_

Kakashi spoke into his earpiece with urgency, which told him that Mrs. Uchiha was losing her wits at each word her son was revealing. To think that a _cat_ lure - since it was clear this child loved cats, which made it terrible to comprehend - made Minato livid to his core, and more was to come. "Okay, let's talk about the van itself. While you were inside, could you see any of the street signs?"

"...no."

"And did the man say anything to you?"

Sasuke shook his head. "He didn't say a word, not even when I yelled at him to let me out, to let me go home. He didn't say anything until...the room."

Minato furrowed his brows. "The room?" he repeated.

"Yeah, he said it was my...party day. Something fitting for a boy my age who was on the cusp of adulthood." He was just thirteen, and kids his age only took a day at a time to learn such smart phrases, so he had to be quoting what his captor had said. _He's such a smart kid. _"But it didn't feel right; there were a lot of balloons, which was something for little kids. There were other things, too, but it wasn't a real party. No one else was there." His face scrunched up at the memory.

So, he suspected something was wrong from the beginning, but couldn't get out of it right away even if he wanted to, since that guy was two, maybe three times his size. The odds were against him from the beginning. "What happened at the party?" His mind corrected him: a _mockery _of a party.

"I asked him if he would take me home after this, and he said he would, but that feeling wouldn't go away. So, I had...tea and different sweets, like dango - which my brother likes - and mochi ice cream, but I hate sugary things," Sasuke answered, scowling. "But he said that he went through all this trouble just for me, so I humored him. Then, I felt weird, and the next thing I know...I fell asleep. When I woke up, he stood over me and said it was time to get ready. At first, I thought he meant taking me back to Mom and Itachi - only to tell me it was late morning, and I freaked for a second, before he told me to calm down or he would slap me. I thought about chancing that before I decided to listen, thinking if I just followed along, he would let me go sooner." He paused there, and you could almost hear his erratic heartbeat even from where Minato was sitting. "He said today was picture day for me, though it wasn't like school's picture days. And I didn't get to wear anything special, either."

Minato felt like he needed a strong drink, but that would have to wait. After hearing about this, he wondered if he would be able to sleep tonight or even manage what his wife always worked so hard to make. "He took..._pictures _all day?"

Sasuke forced it all out, voice higher than before. "I told him I could dress up myself, since I was old enough, but he said I didn't need to worry about that. He even offered me something to drink to calm my nerves. I didn't know what it was, at first, since it tasted gross, but I managed it anyway - then he told me it was sake, which was something the adults drank. I couldn't believe that I had something which my mom said was not for kids my age. He assured me that it was fine, since he was proud I took the risk, and then...I found myself tired to the brain, and I thought I was going to fall asleep again, but I was still alert and couldn't move much. Next thing I know, I'm laying down and he's taking my clothes off..." Sasuke halted then and there, covering his face with both hands. He visibly trembled.

"He _undressed_ you?!" It took all of Minato's efforts to not raise his own voice, which he first suspected was the true, disgusting act forced upon this young boy, only to find out that it didn't happen that way - right away - when Sasuke picked up, still quivering.

"Yeah, and all the while looked at me from every angle. He touched me in a couple places: my chest, back and my legs. He said I had really nice skin for my age, and could see me one day becoming a fine man if I kept this up. He took pictures of me laying on my back as well as behind, and a few close-up shots of my upper body, my...butt and down below."

What he meant was the place which marked his gender. It made Minato close his eyes briefly. Each detail revealed conjured up clear pictures like on television, and he had dealt with cases like this in the past, but sometimes it would do things to your sanity - just like the people in the other room who were still listening.

Mikoto Uchiha had to be breaking down hysterically, and he wouldn't be surprised that she wanted this predator dead for what he did to her son; Itachi must be wanting to kill him all the more.

Then Kurenai's voice had its turn: _"Get to day three."_

"Sasuke," he said, clearing his throat. "You said there first was party day, then picture day. What about the next day?"

"My...special day. Told me it was the day I would really become a man, without waiting for it when I grew up physically. He said I had to be _very _clean, so I had to take a...shower with him supervising me."

**This story is just so...I really cannot describe it. It's just as vile as the original episode, but I'm also glad that the tale and structure is coming out, but that does NOT mean I am getting off on what happened to Sasuke. There's more to reveal in the next chapter. **

**Review please, leave loving feedback, but do NOT flame me or call me names in any way.**


	2. Chapter 2

**So, this story was "Countdown" in English, but I am now calling it by a Japanese term for the word. Last minute decision to somewhat separate it a little from the original version of the show. **

**In the previous chapter, it was mentioned that Minato, Kakashi and co. were responsible for "picking up those responsible for these vicious felonies". The TV show began with not only its title, but narrating words of nearly the same way. **

**Warning: graphic descriptions of non-con assault on a minor. Even SVU itself is upsetting for teens coming into their sexuality, according to a parental guide. **

Chapter Two

_He should have stayed at school and waited for Itachi. If he had, he never would have seen that cat and would be home safe and sound with Mom and big brother. _

_He never would have tasted those sweets - foods he hated, even if he were forced - and fall asleep only to wake up and be given an adult drink, forcibly undressed and photographed. It made him so humiliated and sick that he wished he could close his eyes and wake up in his own bed, swearing he would be a better boy again to make life easier for his mother...but also wishing his father had been alive to save him._

_Or rather: he wished Itachi were here. The one who acted like both father AND brother since last year. _

_Now he was in the shower, this morning after falling asleep due to being forced to consume more of that disgusting drink, which was so heavy it resulted in him passing out. Sasuke felt so tired he could barely protest; the man whose name he still didn't know - the one with the nasty, rotten teeth - had helped him walk to the shower in another room of the house, still naked, all the while keeping his hand on the lower part of Sasuke's back, close to touching his butt again. He flinched before his numb mouth lost the reaction, and here he was beneath a relaxing, warm shower which made him so mellow he thought he'd pass out again. Even his thought process was losing its focus. _

I want to go home to Mom and Itachi. You promised me...

_The man told him today was very special, and when they were done, he was taking him out of here and to what he wanted, though Sasuke now knew better than to believe what he was saying. He lied about the past couple days, so this was it. _

_"Oh, you poor boy. You can't bring yourself to wash up in front of me. Well, I can help you out." Yeah, he had been embarrassed enough; why did he have to be watched as though he were a little boy again? He was starting to grow up, he could do some things on his own - but he found himself with his stomach and chest against the tiled shower stall, and hands as well as a rag smelling of cucumber and green tea were rubbed all over his back, butt and thighs. His shoulders were massaged, then the cheeks of his rear - the latter making him wince as the sweet, good feeling was just WRONG, since he'd been told never to touch someone there or be touched like that - and he yelped when the rag found its way between the crack. "Right here is where you ought to be clean the most, along with another place..."_

_He learned just where that other place was, when he was forced back around, his entire front facing the man, but he was no longer seeing anything except white which was the walls and ceiling above them. The rag was rinsed out again, then reapplied with the same body wash, only to have his chest and stomach washed - and that was when the area between his legs was reached. He found himself starting to cry when he reacted down there to the contact, feeling disgusting because of what this creep was doing to him, and the feeling he couldn't control. _

_"S-stop!"_

_"Now, now, don't be like that. I said this was your special day; you must look presentable, Sasuke. One more thing, too." The man then took a small amount of soap to douse into his palm, not bothering with the rag which he dropped to the shower's floor, and brought it back to Sasuke's genital area which was developing still, as he'd started puberty a few months ago. Not only was his length about five inches long, but it was crowned with a small bed of curly black hair - called pubic hair, according to his brother and the sex ed teachers - and when the man covered the hairs with the soap suds, he picked up a razor blade and began to shave it all off, taking great care to not cut his sensitive skin. Sasuke's cheeks burned hotter than the water still hitting him. _

_"Oh, my, now that is delicious." Now his pubic area was devoid of the hair which the man had found delightful but unwanted. It made him feel like a child, just by even looking down there. _

_Just then, he threw his head back and whimpered when that mouth and the tongue intruded on his personal space, kissing the arch and then the length of his young manhood. Kissing, licking and then sucking him, even paying attention to his smooth little balls, until finally the reaction he'd been told about appeared before Sasuke's eyes and his violator's. "There you go, Sasuke. You seem to like it, just as I thought you would." He grunted and shook his head no, but he couldn't even speak. His painful hard-on hurt so much that the pleasure was forced from him. _

_What happened was what he sometimes heard the adults and Itachi talking about which was the very opposite of the good side of sex. It was supposed to be between two people who loved each other, not THIS!_

_It was taken out of the shower stall and into the man's bedroom, where he was laid down on his back; he couldn't move again, because the man forced him to relax by injecting something into his arm. He held his breath, heartbeat picking up, as the hands and lips caressed his body again, even licking and pinching his hardened, small nipples which sent little shocks throughout. His sensitive belly button got the tongue dipped in. Now that tongue was on his youthful sex again, licking, inhaling, and kissing his shaven pubis and ball sac, sucking until he writhed and hated himself for it. The man hummed at his taste and commented that he was sweeter than any fruit. _

_"Okay, Sasuke, now it's time. You're going to become a man now."_

_He was now on his back which was kissed down the middle, massaged as well as his hips, and butt cheeks groped - before they were parted so that cold air washed over the sensitive interior. He held his breath and tried not to react too much even when something slick found its way in to moisten him up and try to loosen that ring right there, all the while listening to the coos and assurances that it was going to hurt a little, as it always did the first time, but he was promised it would get better. "You'll be enjoying it in no time, Sasuke."_

_With a single, pinching thrust, he was breached. Sasuke felt his eyes burn with tears at how much it hurt despite trying to relax. He thought squeezing his muscles would stop it, because the pain was so much more, and he hated it. Even the man told him so, before slowing down the movements, laying down atop him and keeping up the pattern, groaning and telling him how good he felt and was going to make it the best for him. After this, he would no doubt recover from this painful first time and wish for more. "We will go for one more time, but after this, I'll take you out of here. This will be one of your fondest memories..." At that, the tears stained his cheeks, and he burst out sobbing, only to flinch when those horrid lips touched his cheeks, kissing the saltwater away. _

Stop...please, just stop. I want it over. I want to go home! I want Mom, Itachi...!

_It felt like all day had passed when it was actually close to half an hour, so to avoid hurting himself more - except the thrusting became so fast and pounding that he felt a couple places hurt more than before - and then he felt something hot and wet burst into his canal, staining him and entering his body, never to be taken out. Marking him. _

_His rapist sighed as he emptied himself into the poor boy - young man now, against his will - and kissed his shoulders as well as his cheeks before gently extracting himself and turning the immobile, numb Sasuke over on his back again to slither down and finish the job by kissing and licking where he was hard, bringing him to the same release._

_But it was far from feeling good in any way. Sasuke felt like he was in another place, unaware of anything and wondering why he was still even here. He barely heard the man telling him it was time to go, didn't feel himself being redressed again and forced to his feet - only to be cuffed in the back of the white van he'd been taken into. _

~o~

Sasuke stopped talking altogether, tears now shining down his cheeks, and he jumped up from his chair to go over to the window where the curtains were drawn, wrapping his arms around himself and blubbering if keeping his words straight. "It's all my fault!"

Hearing the details made Minato's stomach bubble like acid - _what kind of sick psycho would ever do THAT to a child?! Saying they're making them into an adult, taking their childhood away from them! _\- and his anger rise, though not directed towards this poor teenager whose innocence had been ripped from him against his will. He could imagine the mother breaking down and throwing up in the trash can, and the brother wanting so much to punch a wall and risk raised eyebrows. "No, no, Sasuke, this is _not_ your fault," he insisted, to no avail.

"He - he said he had more cats in his van - kittens! And I just wanted to see them. I love cats, Detective. I swear, all I wanted to do was see them."

"I know, Sasuke. I understand; I love cats, too," Minato said, getting up and going over to him, resting a tender hand on one shoulder. "Listen to me: your mom isn't mad at you. No one is. We all know this man tricked you, and he's gonna suffer the consequences when we get him."

Sasuke hiccupped and turned into him without even looking into his eyes. "But I broke the rule! I saw a big box way in the back of the van, and I climbed in to see the kittens; oh, God, my mom is gonna hate me for letting this happen to me. Itachi is gonna want to -" He stopped talking altogether when the door behind them burst open, and they whirled around to see none other than - "Mom!"

"Oh, God, sweetie!" Mikoto took him into her arms, kissing him atop his head and embracing him as he wept breathlessly. She was followed by Itachi, who ignored Kakashi and Kurenai who stood in the doorway, the former halfway into the room while the latter folded her arms across her chest with a scowl at this interruption.

Minato had to look down at the floor. He did get enough out of Sasuke, but it sickened him as much as it traumatized the boy while reliving everything again. _I would never want my own son to go through this, or be placed at that table to suffer through questioning - especially by someone less sympathetic. _

"Don't worry, little brother; none of this is your fault," Itachi assured him, rubbing him on the back, just beneath his neck. "I should be blamed for even being late." And he definitely sounded broken.

"Mrs. Uchiha -" Kakashi started only for her to round on him furiously.

"NO! No more! This is _enough!_ We are taking him home!" she shouted, guiding her youngest out, Sasuke wrapping his arms around himself as he avoided all eye contact, and Itachi lifted his nose as he followed his mother and brother out.

And so the session ended without more to go on. Which left them at square one, which would be where the man abducted Sasuke.

"Well, if Mrs. Uchiha continues to be uncooperative," Kurenai said as she walked out with them, "we have legal recourse." Which meant that regardless of her motherly concern, she would have no choice but to bring her son back here on a judge's orders - any judge of their choosing. Plus, it would only put Sasuke in the room but not really pull the words out of him.

_Maybe Asuma and Guy are having better luck with the van._

~o~

You would never believe it, but they had a suspect in custody, and it was none other than a former entertainer who was convicted of child molestation - of children from pre-school age to middle school range, whom he was paid to entertain.

Name was Ohta Takagi. Owned a white van - an _unmarked white van_ which he posed as the use of his "new business" in which he traveled now and painted houses for a living, claiming it was legit, when actually he used it to get around and pick up with his old tricks. And of course he refused to let Asuma and Guy look into the van, after seeing white paint on his neck, which he claimed was house paint that somehow got on him, hinting probable cause...

...and there inside were what looked like a hideous clown costume, similar to the traditional circus type in the west. Now that did not look good for someone who also claimed to have learned his lesson, being told "impulse control" by specialists, and this was all the more reason to have him brought in as a suspect.

"So, balloons we did find in your van," Asuma said as he leaned in, next to the man in handcuffs just to be safe. And looking him over, certain features did match Sasuke's description: pale, ashen skin as well as bad teeth, being yellow tinted with a little brown. "And after a little dusting, we'll find the boy's fingerprints, too."

Guy chuckled before getting serious. "Yeah, and he's willing to pick you out of a line-up. If you tell us what happened, we can make things easier."

Takagi sputtered, disbelieved at all of this. "I'm telling you, I didn't give no boy a party!" _Then why aren't you giving us an alibi, you pervert? _Thinking this, Kakashi shook his head and had his turn, which was holding up the other thing they found while going through this man's belongings: a newspaper folded up and having circled events - most notably, _children's events._

"Now THIS here is something that grabs our attention, Takagi," Kakashi told him wryly. "And the fact it includes only children's parties. We also happened to make some calls to each of these places - and witnesses in Kumo say they saw you at the county fair." Which definitely proved that he didn't abduct and rape Sasuke Uchiha, but that did not mean he was off the hook.

"See? I told you I was innocent. Now if you don't mind -"

"Not so fast there, Bozo," Minato snapped, forcing him back down in his chair. "Those very same witnesses also filed complaints about the...touchy-feely games you played with those kids. I think Kumo authorities would like to have a word with you."

And after that deporting was taken care of, it was back to Sasuke's case. Recanvasing was what he and Minato did, but in broad daylight, nobody saw anything today or even four days ago when he was snatched.

Guy passed him a note, telling him that Mrs. Uchiha called, saying she wanted her son to have "more healing time". Why was he not surprised? But he couldn't be too harsh, especially after today. _Not surprised he could be having trouble sleeping tonight, since I had a hard time myself after hearing what that creep did to him. _

Maybe they could call it a day, since they were going on seven at night and fresh out of leads. Minato was relieved, saying that he had time to pick up what Kushina asked of him from the store, which was the latest batch of Ichiraku ramen for the whole family, and Asuma just wanted to hurry and get to Kurenai and Konohamaru, which left Guy saying that the "night was young and full of possibilities", and Kakashi was contemplating joining him for some bar time - but as soon as they were in the elevator, Tsunade called out to them and announced all of them were staying.

"Man in a white van grabbed another kid - a girl."

**Name of the convicted pedophile/entertainer has the name of Ohta which means two different things: "one is the eyes of the Almighty God; free from dirt or impurities". Very ironic and contrary to what he does.**

**I appreciate the few favorites/follows I go so far, but I would also appreciate reviews as long as there's no flaming. :(**


	3. Chapter 3

**You guys probably got an idea, but this story's elements blend both Japanese and Western culture in terms of the law system and everyday life among the people. **

Chapter Three

Only a day after his latest victim was recovered - _why did he think he could get another so fast? _\- and now a GIRL was taken tonight.

Her name was Sakura Haruno. She'd been left out in front of the drugstore, in the family's car, while her mother picked up some milk as well as some cigarettes for her father - and that was when the commotion was heard when the mother was at the counter paying for the items.

What the man came in for was beer, according to the store's owner who had been behind the counter. And it was a kind that was on the day's special, along with some new details on this creep: the "unfortunate" teeth, pale skin, as well as long black hair which was mussed up, giving him the appearance of a ghost from their country's myths - and of course, drunk when he first came in. No eye color to make out clearly, since the teeth were distracting enough. _Either he was a drug addict or had too much sugar. _

There was a single camera, but it was broken when the owner bought it, though he figured it was better than nothing, which was just brilliant. Minato shook his head at all of this. And the time between this guy and when Mrs. Haruno arrived included no customers in between.

Chance of this man using a credit card, including the information? _Owner said it was the last twenty he received, and he recalled distinctly because this customer asked for two bucks of his change in quarters. _Thus the phone box a little bit down this same block - no laundry mats or game arcades here - was being popped open as well as examined for prints, along with all those quarters inside.

The remaining six-pack was outside and marked as part of the crime scene. One witness had been there but didn't stay too long because everything happened so fast. The man dropped what was left of the liquor in the struggle as he snatched Sakura from the car; a piece of the license plate was also caught, beginning with either "H" or "B", but the driver of the white van hightailed with the speed of a snake in water.

_Makes sense that he sees Mrs. Mebuki Haruno going into the store, her daughter alone in the car, and you couldn't see the car from inside. Drops the beer and drags her to the back of the van, closing the door and cuffing her to the bar before taking off. _

Here they were now, at the Haruno residence which was a good five blocks down in the neighborhood. It was hard to see the weeping woman being held by her equally distraught husband. "The car was parked right out front," Mebuki was saying. "I was in the market for only a minute. It was so cold I let Sakura wait in the car, since it wouldn't be too long. Kizashi -" Her husband. "- called me for some cigarettes - and we were almost home!" She broke down again with breathless sobbing. "Oh, God, how could I do that?!"

No one was blaming her, since he and Kushina did the same with Naruto plenty of times, and always locked the door so that no one broke in to take him, or that he would get out; that was when he was younger, though. "Mrs. Haruno, did you see anyone else around the white van when you went inside?" Minato asked her.

She shook her head. "Not even when I heard the noise. It was like a livewire hit me, especially when I saw the car door opened and that damned van screeching away before I could do anything. I kept screaming her name."

"Could you get Sakura's most recent photo?" Kakashi asked.

Kizashi Haruno did just that, kissing his wife's hand before standing and coming back with the framed picture, beholding the sight of a little beauty with hair pink as the flowers she was named for, eyes green as grass, and a bright smile to match. "This was from when the blossoms were last in season. She'd turned thirteen by then," her father said hoarsely.

"Oh...it's way past her bedtime," Mebuki gasped when she looked down at her watch. "God, please don't let him hurt my baby!" Kakashi gently reached out and put his hand on her knee, quietly assuring her they would catch this guy if it killed their brains, which was just what Minato was thinking. _Also means we're gonna work for almost three days straight if things reach a dead end. _

It also meant the one, hard thing which was very important: he and Kakashi were going to have to speak to Sasuke again, in the morning. Never mind his mother being adamant about more time.

~o~

"We're positive it's the same guy," Kakashi told the others while they printed out the flier faces of Sakura Haruno, thirteen years old just like Sasuke.

Asuma muttered as he picked one up himself. "Unless there is a white van-owning, dentally-challenged pedophile convention, I'd say yes. Makes me wonder why this guy would risk another grab so soon, a day after Sasuke escaped him."

"Store owner said he was intox," Guy said, scratching the back of his neck and wincing. "Know what that means?" _People tend to drink booze when they get worries. Which means that the guy was worried someone could ID him from Sasuke, but in the haze, he was convinced he was safe after a day of nothing...and that's when he spots Sakura from afar. Wastes no time finding a new one._

Based on all of this, Minato listed it off. "Well, boys, we have two different approaches: Sasuke was organized in that he used the kitten con, whereas Sakura was an impulse grab. Begs the tactic."

It would be obvious that this man was in no way a first-timer, because first-timers screwed up big time, but then again, they could be wrong. But either way, the predator could follow the same schedule as he did with Sasuke: he must have had "party day" when he got Sakura home, and since the team was now going on one in the morning, picture day would be in about eight hours. In the meantime, they had more descriptions from the store owner, and Guy took it upon himself to run it through the system - _long black hair, bad teeth, pale skin _\- and Asuma would look for white vans which began with either an "H" or a "B". Which was partial and like looking for a needle in a haystack.

After three AM, things were really feeling like pins and needles among Kakashi and co.: Guy only got a narrow down in terms of bad-mouthed mothers with buck teeth, snaggle teeth, and missing teeth, but very few of them matched enough if not ALL of the mostly complete description. These were all known convicts locked away, either serving long-term or on parole, but none had a white van.

Minato even tried to drink the coffee Asuma made, then got pissed when it tasted bad because of the coffee can lid not being put back on, and never mind nineteen hours not being long enough of what was already made.

_My God, this place is also becoming a pig sty, but Tsunade made it clear no janitors since we are on a time clock. _

Kakashi himself spent time reading files until falling asleep for almost half an hour - until he checked the time when the sun was in the sky. "Working for twenty-four straight hours without even heading home, each of us having just half an hour rest at a time," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. _And he's had Sakura for twelve hours now. Must be doing picture day now._

Recalling what Sasuke mentioned of day one, talk about getting hooked up on tranquilizers and being made to eat sweets which he'd said his elder brother loved but he himself hated; Sakura's parents didn't have time to mention if their daughter did or not, but he guessed she must enjoy them. Though she would not see the drugging coming until it was too late - and then when she opened her eyes, it was sake and then picture taking in the nude. He fought the urge to throw up the coffee he'd drank just now.

"Minato, you and me now," he said, grabbing his coat. "We are going to talk to Sasuke _now_."

"But his mother -"

"Yeah, I know, but that was before this guy grabbed another kid." _And if she refuses, we get Kurenai to take her to a judge._

Go to the Uchiha's apartment they did, and Mikoto Uchiha's response was exactly as they expected. "Absolutely NOT!"

"Mrs. Uchiha, I know you don't want this girl to go through what your son did," Minato told her, trying to be understanding and persuasive, since he was a father himself, but it didn't make her budge at all.

"I don't," she answered, "but Sasuke has told you everything he knows. I wish I could let you talk to him again, but did you know that he slept in his brother's bed last night and woke up every hour crying?" Her face hardened as a result. "I refuse to let him relive this again."

Minato was starting to lose his patience. "There's another child living through it right now."

Mikoto pushed them both to the final straw. "Look, detectives, Sasuke can't even give an address. I'm not gonna let you torture him like this." _You've really given us no choice, then. _

"Mrs. Uchiha, you can either help us, or we can have a judge compel you to let us talk to him," Kakashi told her coldly, making her glare at him the same way.

"Well, that's just what you're gonna have to do." With that, she closed the door in their faces. Just like that.

~o~

He and Kakashi were there when Kurenai sat before the judge, along with Mikoto Uchiha and her own lawyer for her defense. She was represented by Mei Terumi who was a middle ground on all sides, but because she was a longtime representative of the Uchiha family - and accepted payment only when the case she took on succeeded - she would stand on the ground that her client's son had to be protected in terms of what was happening with his mental state.

"He's had Sakura for eighteen hours now," Kurenai was saying to them both as well as Judge Koharu Utatane. "We can still find him before he rapes her - but only if we have anything else Sasuke can give us."

Mei Terumi, red-haired and green-eyed and very beautiful, swung her head in a single side to side shake while holding up both hands halfway. "No one is more sensitive to this than Mrs. Uchiha, for her son has no further information," she argued firmly, making Kurenai purse her lips.

"We won't know that until we speak to him."

"You already did."

Speechlessness lasted only for a second before Kurenai shrugged this all off. "Mrs. Uchiha terminated that session yesterday prematurely, leaving a lot of ground uncovered," she said. At this, Utatane regarded Mikoto with the same scrutinizing look, before turning it onto Terumi who stated that this ground could serve no purpose other than to further traumatize the boy.

"He'll be questioned by special victims detectives," Kurenai stated. "They have some experience in this area. Sasuke will be in good hands; they know exactly what they are doing."

Apparently, Mikoto Uchiha could not keep quiet anymore. It was just her today as her eldest son was at school and worrying about his future on her orders, leaving her to deal with her youngest child. "Judge," she said, sounding like she was fighting not to cry, "Sasuke has told them everything he knows. Please, don't make him do this. It's just _cruel."_

For a second, it looked like the old woman - who had fifty years of experience administering justice - would consider her side, but it reflected off what Minato felt on his part. "As a parent," Utatane said tiredly, "I understand your concern for your child. But I have to weigh that against the welfare of another." She took a deep breath before revealing the verdict.

"I'm granting the application. Mrs. Uchiha, you are ordered to produce your son."

Right then and there, you could see her lower lip trembling as she began to cry as she was forced to let her son suffer with reliving the three days again, but if Minato had anything to say about it, he'd promise Sasuke that they would NOT talk about anything bad that happened again. Which was why they were now going to sit before each other again at the child's advocacy center, and he decided to start with some small talk before it got serious, even if they were on a ticking clock.

Sasuke was top in his class, had a small handful of friends - though his mother was wary, despite him being on good behavior with them - and as to how life was since his father died, it could have been worse. His father, Fugaku Uchiha, had worked stocks in the past, died of a stroke due to a very excruciating job, and also left his wife and two sons enough to live by in order to make ends meet.

Now Minato started the next step, which happened to be something as simple as when his mother and elder brother would order takeout, like pizza or their native grilled and barbeque meats. Sasuke answered that Akimichi's was one definite, and they could walk to that grill from where they lived. "Did you have takeout or anything with...the man?" he asked, and this was when Sasuke fell silent, that somber expression coming over again. "Hey, Sasuke, it's okay. I promised we wouldn't talk about anything bad. But could you please tell me what food you had to eat while you were there?" _Again,_ his mind repeated.

"Mochi ice cream, even dango. And..._amezaiku_, such as goldfish and different birds and insects."

Something that he hated so much, along with something that appealed to younger children, too, and nothing healthy? "Sounds good, but what did you have for dinner?"

Same answer: mochi ice cream, dango and artistic hard candy the whole time. It was all they ever had, and once did Sasuke ask for something that had his favorite food, which was tomatoes; that made the man snap that he was being spoiled now. This was one of the things kidnappers and pedophiles had in common: they got you to trust them with a false sense of security, then hit you where it hurt most when you didn't see it coming. Which was why he hated those people with a passion, no matter their reasons. Also why he and Kushina were doing everything they could to make sure Naruto didn't end up like those poor children did.

"Sasuke, I need you to think really hard. You don't remember the man mentioning his name, or anything else at all with a name?"

No, of course, to the perp's identity, but he did recall something else that was a good new step in the right direction: there was a streamer at the party, with Sasuke's name and in colors befitting a boy. Something you'd have for a birthday party or graduation events. There was also a miniature balloon tank, and it had been used to blow up the very same balloons present. _Okay, good!_

_So, if he had a Sasuke banner, that must mean he went shopping after the man abducted him. How else could he know his name if he saw him in a heat of the moment with that cat?_

It also meant that he'd gotten a helium tank, too, the list being narrowed down considerably: a dozen in Konoha. Half of that would go to Guy and Asuma, leaving him and Kakashi.

Minato could not stop thinking about Sakura going through this at the very moment - especially with that disgusting manner in which she got her pictures taken. A girl enduring that...he had no right to discern if it were worse than Sasuke, because the effects were all the same.

Before the day was over, they finally got a lead at one of the stores from Asuma and Guy, in the form of Enkai's Party Supplies which sold seasonal goods year-round - and also, cute little miniature helium tanks that you could just buy off the shelf. One of the clerks recognized the man based on their description, but commented they were "way off on the face" when she took a look at the sketch. Everything else, though, was on the mark. _When he smiles, it takes a real effort not to flinch, she said. And with those teeth, he ought to lay off the sugar. _

When he got Sakura - of course, the woman didn't know about that - he didn't come through this store yesterday, only this clerk didn't work that day...but she DID say he was here Friday, which was when Sasuke escaped. He could have planned ahead of time for the next victim after him, and not to praise him, but he had been smart in a way, though he never counted on his latest prey to get away.

Solid lead: the man purchased balloons and one of the helium tanks. Dead end: no credit card or identification deposits, so no name. He'd paid in cash; no receipts.

Another solid lead: he was a regular who came in every few weeks, mostly for the already-made _amezaiku_.

Now it was clear that there was a pattern forming; there had to be something involving these sweet contents and two victims in less than a week. Which meant another long day here and countless phone calls, no prints back from the payphone next to the drugstore...ultimately getting three toxicology reports, which Asuma shared to all of them together. _Finally, something more helpful after thirty-six straight hours. _And Minato had been pushed to the fray before, same with the others, but this was one of those times.

"I extended the parameters and got back three lists of those exact same stomach contents: sweet crafted animals - the structures and sugar DNA, at least - mochi and dango. Everything he gave Sasuke to eat." Asuma held up the folder, Tsunade leaning in to watch with an intense scowl. She was the one to pick up for him.

"Girl from Kumo three years ago, boy from Kiri the next year and finally a girl in Iwa from last year."

Minato could not believe what he was hearing, and neither could Kakashi. He felt the blood drain from his face. _All three were strangled, killed three days after they went missing - and all three found in water. _

"How the heck did no one see the pattern?" Guy demanded. "Might just be three different nations, but still!"

"Took the words out of my mouth," Kakashi agreed. "Asuma, what times of death do they say?"

"Well, one of them wasn't found for two weeks, but time of death was placed approximately eleven days prior - third day." _Sasuke escaped on his third day. He must have suspected he might get killed, so he managed to get away before then. _

And Sakura began her third day in the morning. If they didn't hurry, she would end up as the fourth dead body.

**Amezaiku is artsy Japanese candy crafting. Artists use tools like tweezers and scissors as well as a straw (a technique similar to glass-blowing) - though the latter was prohibited due to poor hygiene, though other means of blown air are used. Results can be animals and bugs, which are common to appeal to children and are often used in street performances, stories which are told. **

_**Enkai**_** is one of the words for party, though really means "banquet".**

**Review please.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Three years ago, the first victim was ten-year-old Karui Ogawa - abducted in Kumo only to be raped, strangled and dumped into the Nomura River, corpse washed up into the connected lake of the same name. Dark-skinned, red-haired and amber-eyed, she was described as stubborn, outspoken and competitive, but very smart.

After her, a year later, was a fourteen-year-old boy called Chōjūrō Miura - fair-skinned, blue-haired and dark-eyed, with glasses and shark-like teeth - who was very shy and seemed to lack self-confidence, but was otherwise intelligent. He hailed from Kiri which was on a great island across the sea; sewer workers found his body. Same M.O., too.

Another girl would be grabbed next, this time from Iwa: Kurotsuchi Arai, same age as the boy, and found in the Ono waterfall, washed into the town's pond. Dark-haired and dark-eyed, again fair-skinned. Easy going and calm, but very sarcastic. She, too, was said to have been very clever. _It seems being smart was one thing these kids all had in common..._

_...also, lower body hair shaved, just before being violated. How cruel and disgusting. _

Karui would have been thirteen now - same age as Sasuke - while Chōjūrō would have been sixteen, and Kurotsuchi fifteen.

"Are we sensing a pattern at all?" Asuma asked tiredly, wishing he could pull out a cigarette at this time. All of them could use something, too.

Guy grumbled, blinking his eyes and going up to the dashboard they'd set up, which included the map of all five of these nations, including their own. Past victims' photographs marked at their spots, now joined by the two latest. "He's accelerating. Latest dead kid was six months before Sasuke, who escaped his fate the day before Sakura."

There was not one shred of DNA within either teenager, but as the saying went: water washed away all sins - or rather, all DNA traces. Kakashi felt like ramming his head at all of this. Add that these victims all had different personalities: one hot-headed, another shy, next being peaceful; Sasuke, of course, was asocial save for a few friends, and that left Sakura as outgoing. All but one had fair skin, between the ages of ten and fourteen. But what they all shared in common was being intelligent and able, all coming from working class families. At this, Asuma muttered that this guy was probably such a loner that he sought smart, attractive-looking kids from homes which weren't important enough to spend so much money on a ransom. Made things easier. _This one here - impulsive, socially marginalized? Didn't have anything solid going for him, so that he sought the company of children? And given how all of the victims are either boy or girl, it means he must be bisexual._

"Well, is this a smart guy we're dealing with here?" Minato asked in agitation, rubbing his eyes. "Or is he just fickle, loose? He keeps changing his hunting grounds. Are we dealing with a salesman, a mover...?"

Kakashi swallowed. "Let's check out the grab sites," he said, pointing them out. "Starts in Kumo before heading overseas to Kiri, then flies back over to Iwa and crosses to here in Konoha." He hummed and nodded to the idea of moving up in affluence, in that this predator's confidence was building up, knowing very well how to clean his trails.

Then the group was interrupted by none other than Tsunade, who had grim news: she had been approached by the anticrime computer network department who really needed to release the van, and she could only do so much in putting them off. This shocked the crew; the van was their only solid lead. The second it was let out, the owner would dump it.

Guy just had to try to be positive about this. "So, he dumps it. We could get a whole van full of new evidence." Asuma scowled at him.

"Or he hightails out of town, which leaves us with nothing at all."

"Or best case scenario: someone sees him, they turn him in. You could just release the composites." And this earned Asuma turning the frustration onto him, sarcastically asking him who died and left HIM captain. Knowing his partner, Minato could turn on him and start a heated debate.

"Or worst case scenario to that," Kakashi interjected, "he would see the morning paper. Instead of him, we get all those calls of different wackos as well as exes who did wrong and were turned in. Leave us with thousands of false leads instead of being out there finding Sakura."

Tsunade had ideas of her own. "All of that, or he could read the paper as you said, Kakashi, then start panicking and begin making mistakes, but that's not always counted for. This guy's ritual: he starts with party day, next being picture day, and in a few hours..." Her brows creased with evident loathing. "...Sakura begins her special day." She lifted her chin. "Gentlemen, release the composite and description of the van, but hold back the time clock." Then her attention shifted as she saw something from the corner of her eye, the men following.

There was a woman bundled up, being dark-skinned and red-haired, and it was easy to have a guess as to who she might be: Mrs. Ogawa, mother of Karui. _The mothers of the past three who never knew who did this to their children have been coming here, because they want justice after all these years - three years being an eternity of hell for them._

Who's turn was it? Kakashi himself. He held his breath as he nodded in the direction of Yarui Ogawa, into the next room which was reserved for team meetings. Her face was a mask of pure anger and sadness. But she did apologize and say she understood they all were terribly busy, and she was on par. "What can I do for you, Mrs. Ogawa?" As the answer, she reached into her coat pocket to pull out what appeared to be a photograph of her daughter, against a background consisting of a blue sky and white clouds, which was one of many common picture day backdrops.

"They never had a single lead. I brought this for you. I know you have her in the database," the mother said, face twisting around the mouth, "but I think this will help. It was her last school picture, sent to my house three weeks AFTER she was murdered. I want this in your pocket when you catch that bastard who killed my baby!"

~o~

_This place is getting to be a goddamned mess. _

_No word on the latent of the payphones._

_Nothing but calls from various loonies, as we worried, including psychics who predicted nothing but the next eruption of Mt. Fuji or a next earthquake. _

But then luck changed, and Guy joyfully - despite short nerves - announced he got a call from the liquor store on the calls that were made around the time of Sakura Haruno's abduction: an emergency call around 8:02 PM, and prior to that, at 7:53, was ten seconds to a Mr. Sadao Goto. It could be possible that he might be linked to the suspect calling him just before Sakura was grabbed.

Kakashi and Guy together took care of him, but with very little to go on, and the guy - a middle-aged, gray-haired loner who was a dealer - grumpily complained about it being five in the morning, claimed he had a date with his girlfriend that night but didn't give her name. Said that whoever called him could have been a wrong number, or maybe he never received it, but either way, he hadn't been home. _Ten second call just to be your girlfriend checking up on you, perhaps? _

Damned shame that there was nothing with Mr. Goto, but he was off the hook - for now.

Minato had to make a quick call to Kushina, telling her everything and explaining why. She could hardly even speak, but when she finally did, she gasped that she was going to get with Rasa Sabaku, and they would make their children stay together in a group or be chaperoned by them until this creep was taken off the streets. Call ended with an audible kiss that he had to return as quickly as he could before Tsunade barked at all of them to put the phones down, because she had news.

"We got the DNA that was found in Sasuke, and we ran it through the database. We got a match." _When we don't have DNA from the other cases?_

Turned out that this body was from a boy in Kusa, five years ago..._sixth victim. _"Not found in water this time, but in an abandoned warehouse instead," Tsunade said, half relieved only because they got a hit. "Shiore Aoki, twelve years old. Same M.O., same stomach contents as the others, which means this could have been the first - before our guy wised up and moved to water." Which was why they got the DNA.

"Well, they usually start close to home," Kakashi said with a shrug. "In their safety zone. First ones are always the sloppiest."

Tsunade also saved their graces by not wasting time getting a hold of the captain of the Kusa Police Force who handled the case, and the two detectives who were the major workers were on their way here by flight, then would spend a couple nights to not waste precious time for themselves - and that meant Minato and Kakashi would deal with them.

They'd interviewed a couple hundred people in the Shiore Aoki case, but with the time bomb the crew was on, all they could afford was a quicker path. The cops were in the local breakfast-lunch diner - Kabuto Yakushi and Anko Mitarashi. One silver-haired and wearing glasses, though young enough to be fresh out of college, and the woman with purple-ish hair and strange attractiveness. But when they both heard their names mentioned, of course there was mockery at first sight. "Did you hear that, Mitarashi?" the young man, Yakushi, asked snidely.

"You know what? Now that you say it, I do," she answered back, knowing Minato and Kakashi were there but choosing to ignore. "Sounds like something going right over your head." Then she turned her attention to the senior detectives and sneered. "Just what the hell do you want with us, big town boys?" They really hated the bigger, urban town police forces since they were believed to be so much better than their small-minded selves ever would be, and this was the same everywhere in every country.

Kakashi leaned forward, letting them both know he wasn't fazed. "We're pulling a case file that was brought up between our bosses, from five years ago. This isn't usually how we operate, but we know the important stuff isn't on file." Which included what they found in the victims who came after, and Kabuto Yakushi knew exactly what he was talking about.

"You're right; it's in our heads. And we're just...too lazy to go out and pick the guy up."

That did it. Minato was having enough of this. They were running out of time in finding Sakura, so he did the one sure thing to end this bullshit: he slammed his fist flat on the table, making silverware and porcelain dishes rattle, and the detectives threw their hands in the air as they were startled by his action. Minato usually didn't raise his voice this way, but enough was enough. "Look," he said loudly, uncaring that a few faces were looking, "I know we are on your small-town turf, and I'd be prickly about it, too. That's why I had every intention of coming in here, schmoozing with the likes of you, and kissing a little ass. But we have got a ticking clock, do you understand?" He sat himself down, Kakashi following. "My partner and I have been on this case for three days straight without any rest, and we're too damned tired to get into a pissing match. Are you going to help us or not?"

Well, well, well, he got through to them. "What do you want to know?" Mitarashi asked, almost bitterly.

"We know you interviewed over two hundred people in the Aoki case, but we don't have time to re-interview all of them," Kakashi answered. "Just give us a shortcut." He intently watched as Minato did when the files were pulled, each numbering to maybe four or five altogether, being told these were all just your creepy average guys who happened to be in the vicinity.

"Just to warn you both, no one good enough." _Well, at this point, we're taking just about anything._ "Janitor at the school - name was Koji Ota." Mitarashi handed Minato the first, and he took that file from her.

"...did he have bad teeth? Black hair and pale skin?" But when he opened the folder, the answer was already given by Kabuto.

"No, but the guy who lived down the street did. No last name, but goes by Orochimaru." He gave that folder to Kakashi, who narrowed his eyes just as Minato did. Then one more came their way from Anko.

"If you're looking for another with bad teeth and dark hair, my money would be on this man: Jun Hayashi. He was dating a babysitter at the time, before doing a stint for assault."

So...two men were top contenders and fit the criteria. One was an ex-con, the other a worker in the school picture day business - and was it a coincidence that they BOTH lived in Konoha? Which saved them time but was also very disturbing. He and Kakashi would deal with this "Orochimaru" without a last name, while Guy and Asuma had ex-convict Jun Hayashi who now worked at the welding factory. That man didn't have pale skin, but he had dark hair and foul dentals.

Now they were at the middle school, where it was getting close to picture day. They were speaking to the man who was the chief photographer - and Orochimaru's boss. "Sure, he works here," Tenzou Yamato answered cheerfully before becoming concerned, closing up the tall camera stands. "Why, did he do something?"

"No, we just wanna chat with him," Kakashi answered. "So, is he a photographer like you?"

The brunette man made a slight face and shrugged. "Eh, he's a wannabe, but he doesn't really...have it, you know? He is average but not _perfect_. Smart with chemistry and some stuff, but not with photography. I heard he couldn't get into what he worked for and just chose to settle on something like this. He comes with me to all my shoots, does the lights and lugs the equipment, you know."

There you have it: a genius with chemistry, failed somehow at that - rather, with a personal life which affected him greatly - and ended up here. Yet Mr. Yamato kept him around, because of availability only. It also turned out that Orochimaru didn't always work for him; he'd been across the place with school photoshoots, in places like _Kiri, Iwa and Kumo_...and KUSA before all of them.

To top it off, Kakashi was the first one to spot it: that background in this room where pictures were taken was a drop of sky blue with white clouds - just like the photograph of Karui Ogawa. Yamato even confirmed that this picture was one of his, if not shot by himself.

Cherry atop the icing: Orochimaru wasn't here today, having "called in sick" - and his current address was none other than the one written on Minato's notepad, having been in the file since five years ago. The guy rented a room from an old woman named Chiyo.

Leaving the school, time was not wasted in calling in the squad and getting a warrant for the arrest of this man...who used the schools as a _hunting ground._

**The victims in canon had no known last names, so I had to fill those blanks. As well, Karui's mother isn't a real Japanese name I know of, so I thought of something random and feminine-sounding. **

**Shiore Aoki (surname also given by my hand) was whom Orochimaru masqueraded as in Part One during the Chuunin Exams, even faced off against Team Seven in the forest. **

**Wiki: In Law and Order SVU, One Police Plaza (abbreviated as One P.P.) is the headquarters for the NYC Police Department, housing an anticrime computer network, essentially a large search engine and data warehouse operated by detectives to assist officers in the field with their investigations. **

**REVIEW! :D Now the team got their guy. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Officially the final chapter! :)**

Chapter Five

They were too late in finding Sakura, but that did NOT mean she was dead.

What happened was that they broke down the door to the apartment complex, scouted the area and found no one there - nothing except a _streamer _which had HER name, along with colorful balloons, just like Sasuke before her - and then there was a trail of blood on the floorboards, first leading them to believe they failed to save her...

...but the trail ended at a closet, where they found the corpse of an old woman who had been bludgeoned to death at the skull. It was old lady Chiyo; she must have walked in on him, which spoke that Orochimaru hated surprises. Except now they had lost Sakura again and had no idea what else to do now.

There was also today's paper, with the warning headline beneath the sketch they had: **LOCK UP YOUR CHILDREN! PEDOPHILIC SERIAL KILLER ON THE LOOSE!**

They would learn from the neighbors that the landlady took a tour to Shukuba Town for four days, but came back a day early because she ran out of money. Those same neighbors said she did this three times a year. _Which means that these are the only times where he has the run of the house. _

"We got four hours left," Minato said, but if he had anything to say about it, they would find Sakura if this would cost everything. He was going to ignore the fact she could already be dead, because that meant calling it off altogether in order to avoid the regret of finding her corpse even if they did apprehend Orochimaru.

Sometimes Kakashi was the one to become cynical over a possible loss, since he'd seen his fair share, but what the hell?! They'd been through worst together. "But what if she's already dead, Minato?" he challenged. "He's on the run now, so you really think he's sticking to a time clock?!"

"Alright, a few minutes of rec time!" Tsunade shouted when she refused to have outbursts in her office. "Hatake, you head outside for some fresh air, and Namikaze, you go talk to your wife."

"Hm?" He turned around and was surprised to see Kushina and Naruto standing there. This surprised him, since their son was supposed to be in school, unless she pulled the strings for him to play hokey just for the day - and to keep him close to her. Now his stress levels lowered down just at the sight of his family.

He took them over to the soda and snacks machine. "How's my boy doing?" He ruffled Naruto's hair, who swatted his hand away while laughing. "I feel really bad for not being home lately, Naruto. It's really hard right now, and there's a girl your age going through something that a boy also your age just did. We're like...on a time clock." He looked up at Kushina who exhaled, now bearing a sad and worried face.

"I hope you guys get him, Dad," Naruto said, face angry now. "Doing that to kids - it makes me sick. Make sure he won't get someone like me or any of my friends, too." Minato had to sigh and force himself to smile, but if only he could promise his son that.

Kushina kissed him on the cheek. "Well, you're our hero, honey, as much as you are to everyone else." _Most of everyone else_, his mind corrected, and then he heard Kakashi call for him.

"Love you both, see you later," Minato told his family, embracing them one more time before joining his partner and the rest of the team.

Finally, there was good news and a step to finding and saving Sakura: Sadao Goto who said he wasn't home last night had lied to them, and with a little arm twisting from Asuma and Guy who had gone back to pay him a visit, the man finally admitted that _Orochimaru_ called him back just before eight.

_The night Sakura was taken._

And with that, her abductor would need travel money to get out of Konoha in order to avoid capture, so he was on his way to Mr. Goto's pawn shop, where he occasionally sold some antiques. Orochimaru was a regular.

Correction: no drive to the pawn shop, because going through town meant he would be spotted, so there was a rendezvous point in the warehouse section.

~o~

Commando units in position atop each roof were ready to shoot if the suspect attempted to escape. The opened area where any vehicle would enter through would be blocked with police cars so that Orochimaru would not get away. They were also keeping an eye out on his arrival, and when he showed, they would close off the route of his getaway.

"All set," Minato told him, then spoke into a walkie to tell everyone to get into position. He then rushed across the driveway to the other side where a van with more commandos was. Guy was with him. Leaving Kakashi to listen to his end of the earpiece which was the damned conversation between Asuma and Sadao Goto.

_"What's he unloading, courtesan dolls?" _That was Asuma.

_"No, he sells an attic full of antiques and jewelry owned by this old broad."_

_"The landlady he bludgeoned to death." _It was stated bluntly, followed by a nervous exhale from the other man.

_"Oh, for the stretch, I DID consider he might be a thief or something. But a kid-raping killer? Not a clue at all."_

_"You do anything to tip him off, you're going down as a kid-raping accomplice, got it?" _Asuma snapped, and then silence was followed until it was broken again - and Kakashi also saw it with his own two eyes.

Goto was on the verge of panicking when he said _"He's here"_. The idiot was going to get himself shot if not for the ANBU commandos atop each warehouse. If he kept this scared shitless thing up, Asuma would no doubt shoot him himself.

_Alright, there is our man now. We got him. _His blood pumped with the adrenaline of finally getting this animal off their streets. There was the white van itself, and when it paused maybe ten feet away, the driver's head poked out - a head of raven hair framing a pale white face, and no doubt the teeth were just as rotten as those yellow eyes Kakashi's sharp ones spotted from where he was. He intended to look into those irises as he told him he was under arrest for the kidnapping, raping and killing of four innocent children - and for taking away the childhood of Sasuke Uchiha, and maybe the simple abduction of Sakura Haruno, if she was still alive in the back of this vehicle.

"Sadao, bring it here!" The voice was rough, like wet velvet. If you looked closely at the features, you would assume you were looking at a snake. When the man he came here to see didn't approach him, his face contorted, and he looked up and around, finally figuring it all out.

He didn't get to screech his rear end out of here before his escape was blocked, and he rushed back in only to nearly run into the final blockage there was. He was trapped.

The Konoha Special Victims team whipped out their arms and made their way to the driver's spot, where hands were out in compliance, and Guy did the honors, being a beast in yanking the man out, turning him around with brute strength and slamming him face flat into the surface of the unmarked white van. "Orochimaru, you are under arrest!" Kakashi shouted, pointing his gun into the face as he was cuffed from behind. Reading off the rights, he saw Minato go into the back of the van himself -

\- and when he came back out, not only was he haunted in the face, but in his arms, wrapped in a warm blanket, was none other than a dazed Sakura, alive and well but clearly scared. _When we get her to the hospital, she'll endure the rape kit examination just like Sasuke before her. I hope Orochimaru didn't already..._

_Minato, I owe you an apology. _

"It's over, honey," Minato said hoarsely as he carried the girl in his arms. "You're going home now." He completely ignored the livid, defeated glare of the man who kidnapped her from her mother, who was shoved into the back of the police car by Guy.

He was going to get the punishment he deserved, which was none other than a needle to his arm rather than long-term imprisonment.

~o~

Now that the elusive snake was finally in custody, she would be granted with the honor of prosecuting him. Life had been a nightmare because of him. As a result, she had to keep Konohamaru close on her part, while Asuma and his colleagues were busy stressing out and not heading home until they got Sakura Haruno back safe and sound.

That morning, when she dressed up in her pomegranate-hued suit dress, wrapped the gold two-part necklace from Asuma on her last birthday - one part a rectangle, the other an extender - and finally put on her golden engagement ring with the square diamond and pavé band, she did NOT anticipate the call from the correctional facility in regards to the soon-to-be convicted rapist/serial killer known only as Orochimaru.

Sakura was looked at, and it was concluded she hadn't been raped at all. Hymen was in place, thank God. But it didn't mean the same closure could ever be made for Sasuke who deserved the same justice as the other kids who would never return to their families.

Why was she not surprised that Orochimaru's lawyer was her rival, Danzo Shimura? He was a weasel as they came and went. He just had to inform her that his client wanted a deal and asked for her in order to negotiate the terms. Kurenai Sarutobi just about laughed inside at this idiocy; what could he possibly ask for that wouldn't get him off the death penalty? "Your client rapes and kills children," she spat, arms across her chest and one leg atop the other. "The only deal he will be getting is a free last meal."

"He has disclosed to me," the man with the X-shaped scar beneath his chin said, unfazed, "that at some point in the past, he took the life of a young girl and disposed of the body."

_Oh, is that all there is? Another victim to add that we don't know about? _"We already know that," she said coldly. "In fact, we know about all four of the kids you killed - two boys and two girls." She was _not _prepared for the bomb that was dropped.

"...five, actually."

"Yes, a fifth victim whose body has never been recovered," Shimura said, not affected by this at all.

Another victim no one knew about - he withheld this on purpose. It was nothing new, but it wouldn't change anything regarding his fate. "Four bodies puts a needle in your arm. I don't need a fifth." _But the girl's mother..._

Orochimaru apparently knew what she was thinking, for he was still smiling. "I'm sure that the mother would love to have some closure."

He was doing this for one reason: to escape execution. Well, she wasn't going to let him get the upper hand. If he lived, then his existence meant that it would be a permanent mark on the mothers of all the other victims, especially Mikoto Uchiha and Mebuki Haruno. "Tell me the girl's name," she said to Shimura, who only shook his head. His client wouldn't tell him, and he thought he could use it to his advantage.

"She was my first. She was a perfect little princess - as sweet as can be." The way those eyes closed as if relishing this made her take an effort to not jump out of her seat to strangle him with her bare hands. Plus, that guard was there by the door.

"Give...me...her...NAME," Kurenai growled, but he still wouldn't have it. She had only two options now: take off the death penalty from the table and he would shout it from the rooftops, or the mother would continue suffering never knowing what happened to her child. Her hands were tied.

Which was why she thought this through extremely carefully, calling the one person who might help her in case the answer was no. She explained everything to none other than Mikoto Uchiha who sucked in a breath before shakily replying. _"He's - he's doing this to just get away from the needle! He knows that this will bring more pain to those other mothers who lost their children - and ME!"_

"You took the words out of my mouth, Mrs. Uchiha. But this mother deserves to know what happened to her daughter; I bet you know what it's like to not know where your child is." _Exactly what I'd feel, if Konohamaru had been in this position. _

_"You bet I do! This woman..." _She paused and stifled what sounded like hiccups. _"...she must be feeling what I have while Sasuke was gone. Three days for me, but YEARS for her?! Mrs. Sarutobi, I am coming over there right now!"_ The line went dead without waiting for Kurenai to reply. She stared at it for a moment before leaving it on the surface of her desk. It felt like a hell of a long time before the woman herself burst in, harried and distressed as she admittedly was feeling.

She was now in the office of her superior - Mikoto waiting outside until she was called in - telling him everything and just as wary as he was. "I need you to authorize this deal," she insisted.

"Counselor," Homura Mitokado said, taking his glasses off his eyes and cleaning them with his tie before putting them back on, "I am a public servant, and the public at large does not want this...boil on the rear end of humanity living to a ripe old age."

"I don't, either," she agreed, "but Homura, think of the mother!"

"I am doing just that," he said, arms limp on either side. "And I am certain she would want to see him die."

She couldn't agree more, since it was exactly what he deserved. But he was using this withheld information to prolong this woman's suffering and to take the needle - which was on her as well as Homura who also would take the stress of the public outrage just like her - or to get himself off free and easy from death where she at last learned of her child's death. "Maybe, but she probably wants to know what happened to her daughter also," Kurenai said, but that wasn't the end of it.

"And what of the mothers of those other victims? _They_ want him dead. The entire town would want him dead - even protestors against the death penalty." That might be so much of the time, but here was different. He didn't really know the half of those other mothers, including the ones who knew what became of their kids but would never see them come home unlike the two in the present.

Kurenai took matters into her own hands now, going over to the door which led to where the one who came here to help waited. "Please come in, Mrs. Uchiha," she told the woman who followed her in, making herself known. "This is Mikoto, mother of Sasuke Uchiha - one of Orochimaru's victims."

He looked at the woman first with some shock before he collected himself and quickly offered her a seat in the one for visitors. "Oh, Mrs. Uchiha. I'm terribly sorry about what your son endured, but thankfully, he did escape with his life," he told her.

She didn't have it in herself to speak, so she nodded mutely. And now it was down to the most important reason why she was here. "What do you think should happen to him, Mrs. Uchiha?" Kurenai asked her. It was difficult to get it all out, and she expected what came.

"He...raped my boy. He killed his childhood." She paused and swallowed. "I want that bastard dead. You must understand, it's more unbearable than you can imagine. I cried every second, every minute of EVERY day Sasuke was missing. I wanted to crawl out of my skin, and there were times I didn't realize I'd be screaming at the top of my lungs. Itachi, my other son, pulled me out of it, but he also worried himself sick and constantly swore that he would beat the living daylights out of the one who hurt his brother. Even now that the perpetrator is in custody, he still wants to." Now she was crying, and she accepted a tissue before picking up.

"Not knowing for three days nearly killed me. I can't - I can't imagine this poor woman living through all of those feelings for years, and letting it go on for the rest of her life! I mean, I _want_ him dead, but you got to help this woman, Counselor."

~o~

That snake got off scot-free from death. Because he spilled the beans about a young girl who was murdered by him - before all the others - and she'd been buried in the forests of Kusa: Shigeko Sakurai.

As expected, there were bones found. And Orochimaru was there, in an orange prison suit and chains, then led away on Minato's snapping orders. That animal should be out of all their miseries, but it was something they would have to learn to live with. Even the victims' mothers. The look he saw on Kakashi's face, grim and bittersweet, matched his own.

When he and his partner stood outside the home of the dead girl's family, they remained there for what felt like a long time before finally going up the porch steps; before they could ring the bell, it was opened already, and there the woman herself was. _She's been waiting for several years for the news - and now she was to have closure, and not the good kind. _

After they told Mrs. Sakurai everything, she broke down and turned away from them, and that was when her husband came to comfort her, also bursting into tears of his own.

In the end, everything was just bittersweet. These things happened every day, never really going away. You had to expect that it could happen to you again or someone else, then do something about it.

With Orochimaru locked up, the team was free to finally collapse at home for a day of rest. Asuma back to his wife - who prosecuted the child-murdering rapist himself, but unwillingly negotiated the deal of finding the long-lost victim in exchange for removing execution from the table - Guy and Kakashi off to get a drink before going separate ways...and that left Minato being picked up by his wife and son at the end of the day. He really missed them.

It was then that he came up with a great idea, and tomorrow he would contact Mikoto Uchiha himself - or Kushina could do that for him while he passed out much of the day.

_Sakura might be okay, since she didn't get raped, but Sasuke isn't so lucky. He really needs counseling and his loved ones to be with him. His mother said that his previous so-called friends all but abandoned him when they didn't even understand what he went through...and one went far to accuse him and ask him if he _enjoyed_ "having sex with an older man he didn't like". Who the hell has the right to insinuate such things, even if these are only kids?!_

Besides getting much-needed therapy, he planned on bringing Naruto over to try and befriend him, try to have some sunshine to make him a happy guy again. Maybe Sakura could join them, if her parents also said yes. Because Itachi Uchiha - angry older brother who wanted his younger sibling's tormentor dead even while locked up - had agreed to this before his mother's consent.

Sadly, the other victims' mothers had learned to live with losing their children, but they ended up getting together in a long-distance group to help each other out. Minato wouldn't be surprised that they could start an activist organization against other sexual predators and killers.

There was also finally some good news to come, even if not in the way they'd wanted when they first caught him: Orochimaru was dead. According to the prison warden, he'd been "made a bitch and then beaten to death when he didn't stand a chance". That was the end of one nightmare, but there would always be more to come.

**So, the ending was hard to do, emotionally and technically. In terms mostly of how to bring everything to closure as best as possible, even if it doesn't end on an expected "happily ever after" note. **

**Sasuke's fate was most important, since usually in real life, some teen male rape victims resort to a quick death (suicide) or a slow and painful one even when they refuse to get the help they need. But I REFUSED to let that happen here. Thus Minato saved him by helping him get counseling, time eventually healing, and having his son Naruto befriend him - and of course, Sakura coming into the fray, too. :) **

**Reviews appreciated. :D**


End file.
